NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio will CUT funds from the NYPD's $6billion budget and redistribute it to social services and youth programming he announces
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that funds from the NYPD's $6billion budget would be cut and diverted to social services following 10 night of protests.
On Sunday, de Blasio revealed that money from the city's police force would be invested into youth programs and social services within for minority communities.
'We need to do a lot more for our young people,' de Blasio, 59, said during a press briefing.
'We will be moving funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services. I want people to understand we are committed to shifting resources to ensure the focus is on our young people.
'And I also will affirm that when doing that, we will only do it in a way that we are certain will ensure the city will be safe.'
Mayor Bill de Blasio (pictured) announced that part of the NYPD's $6billion budget would be diverted to youth programming and social services
De Blasio first rejected that idea on Friday, saying that the money was necessary to keep New York City safe.
'I do not believe it's a good idea to reduce the budget of the agency that's here to keep us safe,' he said during a press briefing.
The push on police reform was suggested by his wife, Chirlane McCray, 56, who co-chairs his task force on racial inclusion in New York City.
Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez also implored de Blasio to cut funding from the city's police force amid calls to defund the department.
Calls to defund the New York Police Department and other law enforcement institutions have increased after the death of George Floyd
De Blasio did not reveal the exact amount that will be diverted, but it will be confirmed after the NYC Council finalizes the $90billion budget at a later date.
'We’re committed to seeing a shift of funding to youth services, to social services, that will happen literally in the course of the next three weeks, but I’m not going to go into detail because it is subject to negotiation and we want to figure out what makes sense,' said de Blasio.
The calls to reform the NYPD come as police departments across America come under scrutiny following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died while in police custody.
Demonstrations have erupted worldwide as thousands fight against police brutality and systematic racism.
De Blasio daughter, 25-year-old Chiara de Blasio, was arrested during a protest in Manhattan on night in May.
Pictured: Activists move along 7th Avenue during a protests against police brutality and systematic racism on Saturday
In addition to cutting police funds, de Blasio revealed he supports the reform of provisions in 50-A to ensure 'transparency' among law enforcement.
50-A is a New York state law that protects disciplinary records, personnel files and related materials of law enforcement from the public. Critics have long argued that 50-A shields police officers from facing accountability.
The NYPD will also move vendor enforcement out of the department's practices and bring community ambassadors within the NYPD.
'The City will shift enforcement for street vending out of NYPD so our officers can focus on the real drivers of crime instead of administrative infractions,' the mayor's office said in a statement.
'This will further the Administration’s de-escalation agenda by reducing interactions between uniform officers and New Yorkers, particularly immigrant communities and communities of color.'
Speaking about policing street vendors, McCray said new initiative is 'so that code violations will not require an officer whose presence could escalate an encounter.'
Chirlane McCray (pictured), de Blasio's wife, said cutting vendor enforcement from the NYPD's role is 'so that code violations will not require an officer whose presence could escalate an encounter.
The NYPD has face new allegations of police brutality and excessive force against protesters over the last two weeks
Pictured: A protester is arrested after the curfew enforced by authorities in Manhattan in response to protests over the death of George Floyd
'We are moving forward. We are not waiting for anything or anyone. No one – I say no one – wants to go back to the way things were before,' she added.
Community ambassadors will be brought into senior levels of the NYPD to 'reflect the diversity of the five boroughs and serve as liaisons between officers and New Yorkers.'
'People from the community, civilians deeply steeped in their communities with the ability to bring the concerns of the community to the highest levels of the NYPD,' said de Blasio.
'...To bring back answers including the status on disciplinary cases and changes in policing that needs to be done to allow better policing, fairer policing,'
De Blasio's reforms may face push back from some law enforcement groups after several rallied together to fight off 'a raft of anti-police bills in the wake of nationwide protests.'
They wrote in a memo: 'New York State is in crisis.For the past week, we have witnessed a level of civil unrest — too often accompanied by violence and destruction — that our state has not seen in a generation.
'As law enforcement professionals, we share the universal desire for healing and positive change. At this time, however, the first priority of government must be to restore peace and stability.
'No rational policy discussion can take place against a backdrop of burning police vehicles and looted store fronts.'
Pictured: NYPD officers arrest protesters during a demonstration against the killing of George Floyd
The NYPD, as well as several under police departments, are facing a wave of distrust from the public as clashes between authorities and protesters continue.
In New York City, one instance involved a 20-year-old woman who appeared to have a violent seizure after a NYPD officer shoved her to the ground during a protest.
The officer had allegedly called her a 'stupid f***ing b***h' before pushing her.
The victim, Dounya Zayer later shared updates from the hospital saying she suffered a seizure and a concussion from the attack.
The following day, a second officer was caught on video yanking down a man's coronavirus mask to pepper spray him.
The man had been among a massive crowd of demonstrators in Brooklyn and had been holding his hands up.
Footage showing NYPD cruisers intentionally edging towards protesters in the street and clips shared to social media have furthered eroded the public's trust in authorities.
NYPD cruisers intentionally edging towards protesters in the street sparked outrage on social media
Two weeks ago, more than 200 people were arrested during a peaceful protest that turned volatile at the Barclays Center.
Multiple people, including police officers, were injured as protesters set fire to vehicles and violence broke out between cops and demonstrators.
Both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio said they reviewed the incident, which resulted in a week-long curfew for New York City residents.
Mayor de Blasio said he was upset by videos of confrontations 'where protesters were handled very violently' by cops and by reports that at least two elected officials were among the people sprayed with irritating chemicals by officers at the scene.
'Anytime you see a protester just arbitrarily thrown to the ground by a police officer, that does not reflect our values, that's unacceptable and there need to consequences,' he said.
'We cannot see a video like that. There's no reason for a video like that and it corrodes trust. So, we're going to have an independent review to look at each and every instance like that.'
de Blasio (pictured): 'No rational policy discussion can take place against a backdrop of burning police vehicles and looted store fronts'
De Blasio later announced the NYPD would undergo major reform, including suspensions and disciplinary actions against officers who used rough tactics to ensure curfew.
'You will see change in this city. You will see change in the NYPD. We simply have not gone far enough. The status quo is still broken, it must change,' the mayor said at a press conference on Friday.
'This will be the work for the next year and a half of this administration: To make more change, to make it urgently, to make it powerfully, to make it clear,' he continued.
'And that work will proceed immediately. And you will see those results and you will judge for yourself, as all New Yorkers do.'
One NYPD officer was caught on video yanking down a man's coronavirus mask to pepper spray him
De Blasio said there are adjustments that continue to need to be made to the NYPD response to peaceful protests, but praised the department's 'overall restraint levels.'
The mayor said there have been occasional instances of police behavior that needs to be reviewed by NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea.
'Each night we see – certainly several – situations that raise real questions. Individual instances where our officers have taken action that raises a valid concern,' he said.
'In each and every case, there must be a full investigation, and where discipline is warranted, it needs to be speedy,' the mayor said.
'The vast, vast majority of officers do their job, do it right. But when someone does something wrong, as in all of our society, there must be consequences. Commissioner Shea made it clear yesterday, disciplinary action is about to be announced, some will include suspensions of officers. There's a lot going on.'
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio will CUT funds from the NYPD's $6billion budget and redistribute it to social services and youth programming he announces
![NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio will CUT funds from the NYPD's $6billion budget and redistribute it to social services and youth programming he announces]()
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June 08, 2020
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